Top Dog: Wayne to skipper England and Chelsea rumours abound
Today's Papers 
/ Top Dog / 16 April 2008 / Leave a comment
Betfair's top dog sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales.
• Cruft's champion - Top stories that can dominate the news agenda
• Pedigree chum - Insights that tell you something you don't know
• Dog's dinner - Speculation, guesswork, or ideas that just don't come off
Top Dog says:
Fabio Capello has been in Lesotho doing coaching work for the FA, and Fleet Street's top writers went with him. The England manager has issued a warning that anybody ducking the friendlies next month will run the risk of never being chosen for one of his team's again. Believe that when Sir Alex decides Wayne Rooney or Rio Ferdinand are injured and can't go to Trinidad! Capello is also naming Rooney as a potential eventual captain.
Cruft's:
Daily Mirror - £100m Grant - Martin Lipton has the key fall-out from Chelsea's title flop. While the others are panning Avram Grant, the Mirror's Chief Football Writer, whose contacts at high level at Stamford Bridge are excellent, reveals that Roman Abramovich will respond by handing Grant more cash to strengthen in the summer. He wants to capture Kaka, Messi and Ribery, and money will be no object. Grant's [3.5] in the managerial change market, with a spread to [11.0] to lay. It's worth trying to lay anywhere in between and see if it gets matched
The Sun - Leave United? Don't talk rubbish - Cristiano Ronaldo insists again that he won't leave for Real Madrid or anywhere else. It reads like an interview translated from Portuguese, but the sentiments will still be good news for United fans. Ronaldo's now an unbackable [1.05] to be Player of the Year. Did you get on at [5.0] when Top Dog recommended it back in December?
Pedigree Chum:
Daily Mail - Jose twists the knife - Of all the days for Jose Mourinho to start talking about his Chelsea record, it has to come the day after Avram Grant has mucked it all up! Mourinho has published a new book in Portugal and has a reminder that he won 70 of 100 League games in charge!
Daily Mirror - Bruce's bonus - No wonder Steve Bruce was so happy when Emile Heskey scored. He's on a £2million bonus for keeping Wigan in the Premier League! They are [2.72] to beat Spurs at home on Saturday.
Daily Mirror - City kids aiming to be men - David McDonnell gives an interesting contrast before tonight's FA Youth Cup final second leg. Manchester City are full of home grown kids, Chelsea full of youngsters bought from all round the world. It's 1-1 from the first leg. City are [2.14] favourites to win in normal time.
The Sun - If I'd known Grant would be coach I'd never have joined - Tal Ben Haim has broken ranks by claiming he only signed for Chelsea because of Jose Mourinho, and wouldn't have come for Avram Grant.
The Sun - Villa: I'd sign for Gunners - More bad news for Chelsea. Valencia striker David Villa, believed to be Grant's top transfer target for the summer, says Arsenal are the English club he'd most like to join.
Daily Star - Avram fails to see eye-to-Sky - Okay, so maybe it wasn't Grant's fault that Chelsea failed to beat Wigan, but the people who schedule the games for Sky. Chelsea are so angry at being made to play at Everton tomorrow night that they will refuse to give interviews to Sky before or after. Chelsea could be worth laying at [2.2] at Goodison.
Daily Star - Rivals in £4m fight for Barnes - North East man Ian Murtagh says Newcastle and Middlesbrough are both chasing Derby's highly rated Giles Barnes this summer.
Dog' s Dinner:
Daily Express - Drogba is Real deal - Tony Banks says Real Madrid are chasing Didier Drogba for £20million - the same story the Daily Star ran a week ago
Today's Other Headlines:
The Sun - Roo has to score more says Fab - Avram Grant - an accident that's now a full-blown car crash - Jose: This proves I was best - Bag push - One Hull of a night
Daily Express - Fabio's friendly fire - Ferguson: Title race isn't over - Wayne's goal is relaxation - Sagna says young guns will conquer - Zoltan tops the show to fire Albion
Daily Star - Fab's friendly fire - Real told to foret Ron - Fab tells Roo give me more goals - Ryan still flyin' - I fear we'll end up potless says Petr Cech - Baggies find top Ger-a - Wind keeps Hull on course
Daily Mirror - Capello warns: miss a game and your England career is over - Mourinho: Forget the others I'm still the special one - Abramovich will stick by Grant and give him time - Capello: Rooney is England's future - Rafa demands showdown with Gillett - Hull turn on Wind power
Daily Mail - Rooney will be England captain says Capello - Sir Alex gets help from his friends - Real poser for Ronaldo - Love the shirt not the beach says Fabio - Gera grabs glory
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